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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25823266">heart events</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/springtine/pseuds/springtine'>springtine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A3! (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Confessions, First Meetings, Getting Together, M/M, Tengu Tsukioka Tsumugi, they hold hands, they're very neat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 12:08:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,327</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25823266</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/springtine/pseuds/springtine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It looked like something out of KniRoun, so Itaru couldn't help himself. What was a brooch going to do anyway? Cause chaos? It's more likely than you think. Luckily, the shopkeeper is kind enough to get it back. In the middle of the night.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chigasaki Itaru/Tsukioka Tsumugi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>heart events</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It shone in the dying afternoon sun just as Itaru passed by the new shop. The orange lighting made it seem more otherwordly than it should. He paused in front of the antique shop. The shelf by the window had various small, exciting trinkets. Really, for a shop that sold artifacts, the item that stared back at Itaru looked like it came out of KniRoun VIII.</p><p> </p><p>The brooch had slightly weathered golden wires that wrapped around an assortment of spindle-shaped gems that ranged from blue to red, arranged in a spiral pattern that looked similar to a wreath. A small pin in the middle slightly lifted it above the wooden shelf, casting a red-blue tint below the gems.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Item: Lady of the Lake's Brooch - DEF 20, LUCK 30, Enemies are more likely to run away from a battle if this is equipped. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The other items on the shelf ranged from western looking trinkets to traditional Japanese items. Aside from the typical clocks, antiquated tableware, and creepy dolls, some traditional clothes also hung on mannequins. Squinting inside the store, he even spotted a sword that looked very similar to the one Lancelot had in KniRoun IV.</p><p> </p><p>Itaru decided to enter the shop. The cold wind blasted into his hair from above the door, making him slightly shiver. The bell of the door chimed, and the young, blue-haired man at the counter lifted his head from where he was reading a newspaper.</p><p> </p><p>The shopkeeper looked up curiously, before smiling. "Good afternoon. What can I do for you?"</p><p> </p><p>He has a beautiful smile.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> +5 Affection </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Itaru felt the tips of his ears get warm when he realized he'd been standing in front of the door for a while. To ease his embarrassment, he returned the shopkeeper's smile with a smile, "I'm just looking around."</p><p> </p><p>"I see. Well, feel free to call me if anything interests you," the shopkeeper offered. Itaru hums and approaches the sword. He would actually buy it, but he was pretty sure Sakyo would give him another earful for it. No, thank you, the lecture last week about the power bills already cut two hours into his game time. He could try to convince the Director to have a play based on KniRoun, but what were the chances anyway? Even then, he'd surely get looks from carrying around a sword.</p><p> </p><p>He looked around a bit more.</p><p> </p><p>Itaru noticed a doll with mismatched red and blue eyes. The doll had black hair and wore a blue floral-themed dress, with a white and blue Victorian bonnet. He was unnerved by the glass eyes that seemed to stare at him, even from behind a glass cabinet. He turned away from it and headed over to the wooden shelf by the window.</p><p> </p><p>Itaru picks up the brooch. It was about the size of his hand, and despite the slightly weathered metal, it was smooth. The gems were also polished, shining under the soft lights of the antique shop. Its pin wasn't pointy enough to pierce through the skin, but it would definitely use some work to get it through a cloth.</p><p> </p><p>He went to the counter where the cute shopkeeper fiddled with his phone. He held it like a grandma, which made Itaru internally snort. But still, like the gentleman that he is (and isn't), he waited until the shopkeeper turned off his phone's screen. He smiled sheepishly, "Ah, sorry for making you wait. I'm awful with technology."</p><p> </p><p>"It's rather adorable," he smiled. The shopkeeper's eyes widened as a light blush covered his cheeks. He still managed to give Itaru an answer with a soft smile, "Is it? I'm afraid that I take too long with my texts."</p><p> </p><p>"You'll get used to it." He placed the brooch on the counter. Vivid turquoise eyes sharpened upon seeing the item. The change in his eyes almost gave Itaru a whiplash. After a few moments of inspecting the item, his eyes returned to the gentle look they had earlier. He checked out the brooch, handing the small cardboard box to Itaru with an unreadable smile.</p><p> </p><p>"You can come back here if you run into any problems with the item."</p><p> </p><p>Okay, that was cryptic as fuck. Itaru almost wanted to ask if he needed to look out for any status effects that came with the brooch. The shopkeeper’s smile turned into something softer as if he sensed the caution, "Ah. I didn't mean it like that."</p><p> </p><p>"Was that an invitation then?" he chuckled. Instead of getting flustered, the shopkeeper laughed softly, looking like an absolute angel, "Maybe."</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> +5 Affection </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Cute Shopkeeper: 10/2000 Affection </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Lady of the Lake’s Brooch (?)” added to Inventory. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Lady of the Lake’s Brooch (?): Curse V, -30 LUCK </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>The Director looked awful. Well, who could blame her? It seemed like the troupes have degraded into some sort of fight club. Izumi lounged on Itaru's couch as he played on his phone, faintly hearing Banri and Juza fighting through the wall. She flipped through the script of Roman Episode, huffing.</p><p> </p><p>More punches and sharp words were thrown in the previous week in the dorms. They had to keep making ice since the punches usually resulted in a few bruises. They didn't know how often they had arrived at someone yelling in the lounge or slamming doors. It seemed like only a handful of them haven't been affected by whatever this was. Itaru was one of the few who weren't affected.</p><p> </p><p>Itaru wasn't heartless, so he invited the Director over to his room, as some sort of refuge for her. So far, she sat on the couch, flipping through the script and her notebook in a surprising range of emotions he didn't know could be expressed from flipping pages. Her eyebrows were drawn together as her lips were set into a taut line. They hear someone stomp downstairs, and a yell from Yuki. She finally threw the script and notebook on the coffee table, as Itaru looks up from where he's pulling a gacha. What a trash pull.</p><p> </p><p>"Tenma might actually put a hole through the stairs now," Izumi huffed with a frown. Itaru hummed, "Sakyo's blood pressure would spike again."</p><p> </p><p>"What is even happening? It's like- a curse of some sort. We made progress on Banri's motivation issue... then this." She sounded defeated. The blonde stood up to turn on the console and TV, then threw a controller near her. She looked at it curiously, raising an eyebrow when he plopped down with his own controller, "Wanna play some rounds? Might help you relieve stress."</p><p> </p><p>Izumi stared at it for a while, before half-shrugging and taking it, "Only one round. I have to help another troupe one town over tomorrow."</p><p> </p><p>"Got it."</p><p> </p><p>Itaru let the Director have the first round, faintly worried that she might break the controller from how forcefully she held it. He managed to get a laugh out of her when he reminded her of the time she sent Sakyo flying into a wall. It's the Director who insisted on a few more rounds. The next two rounds were a tight battle, but Itaru managed to win them.</p><p> </p><p>Izumi pouted as her health gauge ran out, as Itaru grinned at the victory music, "That was a close battle. You're pretty good at this, Director."</p><p> </p><p>Both of them jumped at the sharp yell from the stairs that was accompanied by a loud crack. With a sigh, the Director stood up, placing the controller on the table. Before she left the room, she turned back with a smile, "Thanks for the game. It helped in destressing."</p><p> </p><p>"It's my pleasure. Don't stress yourself out too much, Director."</p><p> </p><p>"You too, Itaru. Good night." she closed the door behind her gently. Itaru hummed as he switched to player vs. computer mode. He switched characters, and his eyes lingered a bit on the character that had cast curses as a limit break.</p><p> </p><p>"Curses, huh."</p><p> </p><p>The smile of the shopkeeper flashed in his mind. Sure, reality and fiction were on opposite sides of the spectrum, but a childish part of him hoped that some things did exist in reality. Unfortunately, curses were not one of those things. Especially if they affected the family he found himself in. He preferred cool superpowers. He decided to take up the shopkeeper's offer and pay a visit to the antique shop tomorrow.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> +200 Affection </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Izumi Tachibana: 1000/2000 Affection </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Achievement unlocked: A Friend in Their Time of Need  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Lady of the Lake’s Brooch (?): Curse V, -30 LUCK </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Return the Brooch” added to Quest Log. </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Itaru had fallen asleep while waiting for the old DS game to load up. An ache in his neck reminded him that he wasn't in the best of positions now. His feet felt also cold.</p><p> </p><p>He laid still when he heard shifting around in his room. The low light from the courtyard outlined a figure moving around in the darkness of his room. They moved around, and he saw that they wore robes of a priest. The sound of wood on wood and flutter of feathers reached his ears. He squinted at the figure once more, before his sleep riddled mind clicked all the pieces together.</p><p> </p><p>Itaru tried to keep his breathing steady even if he panicked. <em>Are you fucking kidding me? A literal tengu in my room? How did they even enter? I'm not dreaming, right?</em></p><p> </p><p>The sound of the howling wind from underneath his loft answered. Some of the papers from work fluttered, and the person raised a hand to scratch at their head. Some of the wrappers and empty bottles in the room also flew from the strong night wind. In a low voice, the tengu muttered, "This is surprisingly hard..."</p><p> </p><p>His breath stuttered once he realized it was the cute shopkeeper from several days ago. His thoughts were disturbed when he heard the measly tape he put on the wires around being ripped from the floor rather loudly. Instead of falling over from the tangle of cables around the floor, the shopkeeper's wings opened, flapping softly in the darkness.</p><p> </p><p>Those turquoise eyes pierced through him with a soft sheepish smile, "I woke you up."</p><p> </p><p>"I've been awake for a while."</p><p> </p><p>"...That's good. Um, it seemed like you were going to get cramps from your position earlier."</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Fuck. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>What the hell was he supposed to do?! He hoped he hadn't angered the shopkeeper by not dropping by his shop. Really, he made sure to keep his tone from last time light enough so the shopkeeper wouldn't take his flirting seriously. His mind that was hazy from the accidental nap tried to see if he had any encounter or said anything that might piss off a youkai but came up blank. The tengu also shifted uncomfortably.</p><p> </p><p>"Do you want me to just sleep and forget this ever happened?" Itaru offered, squinting at the light from his home screen that had 03:24 flashed. He had work in five hours. The tengu had moved from hovering in the air to merely standing to the room's unoccupied corner, "That would be fantastic. But, um, do you mind if I get back the item you bought from me the other day?"</p><p> </p><p>"The brooch? Is it cursed or something?" Was it time to replay Youkai Clock so he wouldn't accidentally get a curse or something?</p><p> </p><p>He nodded, "One of the spirits residing in the shop seemed to have taken a liking to you and decided to possess the brooch."</p><p> </p><p>Great. What's next, a supernatural otome? He half-expected dialogue options to pop up in front of him as he got down from his loft. He stumbled around the haphazard of wires on the floor to where his work suit was and rummaged around in the pockets until he felt the smooth cardboard. He flashed the light from his lock screen as he opened the box.</p><p> </p><p>The brooch laid there innocuously as if it hadn't caused chaos in the last few days. Itaru squinted through his blurry vision when the gems of the brooch stared back at him with multiple eyes with varying colors of irises and sclera. It looked demonic, despite the eyes that stared up at him with something akin to being apologetic. He closed the box and chalked it up to being in a dream.</p><p> </p><p>Leaping over the mess of wires with only the low light of his lock screen wasn't a good idea. Itaru got his foot caught between one of the wires and started falling over before a strong gust of wind steadied him. The wind was cold but gentle. He blinked at the cables still tangled around his feet to the figure of the tengu with his fan raised. Itaru managed a half-smile, "Wind powers? Cool. Here."</p><p> </p><p>He handed the box to the tengu, unusually frosty fingertips brushing with his palm. Even with the room's dim lighting, he saw the gentle smile the tengu gave him, before he bowed his head, "Thank you. I am indebted to you."</p><p> </p><p>Itaru was speechless before he gave a small shrug, "I don't mind it. By the way, what <em> is </em> your name?"</p><p> </p><p>"Tsumugi Tsukioka. Sorry for not introducing myself first."</p><p> </p><p>"It's okay..." a pause, then he yawned.</p><p> </p><p>"Thank you, Chigasaki-san. The gods will bless you. See you," Tsumugi moved to the window, his geta resounded along the wooden floor as he moved to the window.</p><p> </p><p>"Sure." He returned to his bed, falling asleep almost instantly. The wind gave him a final caress before he heard his window close. He woke up ten minutes earlier than his alarm. As he was cleaning his room (yes, irresponsible as he may be, he's still a capable adult), he realized that the tengu knew his name even if he didn't introduce himself.</p><p> </p><p>Almost like a spell, the haze of bad emotions was lifted from the Mankai dorms. The Autumn Troupe only grew more fierce as they prepared for their debut performance. He had heard from Banri that Taichi had cracked from the guilt and ended up spilling what God Troupe wanted him to do to the show.</p><p> </p><p>The boy was used by the troupe, and he begged to stay in Mankai since they had accepted him. Of course, they had taken him in once more with open arms. He watched the closing night, and he smirked at how Banri even seemed more passionate about theater now. The Autumn Troupe were all synced with one another, and it showed on the closing night. The applause didn't stop as the audience all rose to give them a standing ovation.</p><p> </p><p>Itaru always looked into the antique store when he passed it, but for some reason, he didn't see Tsumugi again. He thought he might be avoiding him, but he remembered his farewell. He hoped the luck the youkai spoke about was increased gacha luck, especially since one of his favorite characters was coming up in the upcoming scout.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> +150 Affection </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Cute Shopkeeper &gt; Tsumugi Tsukioka: 160/2000 Affection </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Demon Brooch” has been removed from the Inventory. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Return the Brooch” quest completed!  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> +500 EXP, +10 LUCK  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Itaru has leveled up! Special Passive Ability “Youkai Knowledge” has been unlocked! </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Act 4: “Once More, with Feeling” opened! </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Proceed to “Once More, with Feeling”? </em>
</p><p><b><em>&gt;Yes</em></b>                   <em>&gt;No</em></p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Itaru collapsed on the couch next to Banri, who was setting up a game. His muscles ached from practicing sword fighting with Tsumugi. He groaned, "I hate blocking attacks."</p><p> </p><p>"Thought you'd enjoy it," Banri snorted. Itaru opened the box of medicated patches with a side-eye, "I'm not a masochist, you know."</p><p> </p><p>"You're totally whipped for him." He wasn't.</p><p> </p><p>...Maybe he was, but he wasn't going to admit it to Banri. He found Tsumugi's presence pleasant, and he enjoyed teaching him things about technology and games. He was also willing to learn some of the games Itaru played. Tsumugi took him cafe-hopping when the others weren't available, and they had plenty of pictures of their outings (which weren't dates. <em> Seriously, they weren't </em>.). Tsumugi had picked that one selfie with him at the cafe with the KniRoun collab as his home screen after asking Itaru to teach him how to change it. It was adorable, not that he was going to admit it.</p><p> </p><p>Tsumugi had given him a really bright smile once he was reassured that he wasn't going to tell anyone about his secret. It was like the first time they met, but it was brighter and warmer. He also enjoyed going free with his chuuni side since Tsumugi picked it up quickly. The Director has even complimented their flexibility with street acts (which was really just a product of Itaru’s nerdy side) since the audience loved it. </p><p> </p><p>The patches were a great relief to his aching muscles. Banri had a shit-eating grin as he handed Itaru the controller. He took it with a frown, "I'm not."</p><p> </p><p>The brunet rolled his eyes, "Sure, sure. Keep lying to yourself."</p><p> </p><p>"I'm gonna destroy you."</p><p> </p><p>"Try me, geezer."</p><p> </p><p>"You're asking for it, you little shit."</p><p> </p><p>Fine, he lost five rounds. He blamed the blisters on his hands. Banri laughed in his face as Itaru scowled at him, "Fine, you win. What do you want?"</p><p> </p><p>"Just man up and tell him how you feel," despite the infuriating grin, Banri's tone was honest. He sighed and opened his mouth to retort before the younger scoffed, "Don't give me a crappy excuse like he doesn't like you back or something. Everyone can see that you guys like each other."</p><p> </p><p>Itaru sighed instead and sunk into the couch, "It's not that simple."</p><p> </p><p>"If this is about him being a youkai, don't worry about it," Banri assured, waving a hand. Bullseye. But that was only one of his worries, though. Too exhausted to be shocked, Itaru only raised an eyebrow, "He told you?"</p><p> </p><p>"I've been hanging around Sakuya to know enough about youkai disguises," he answered. Itaru eyed him a smirk, "So, does he know?"</p><p> </p><p>"Soon, and no, I'm not delaying because I'm unsure. It's more about his family," Banri huffed. Itaru sympathized with that. He didn't know how many times he spotted various youkai watching him. A calico nekomata lounged on his couch sometimes, reminding him more of a lazy housecat than a youkai. It would sometimes demand food or pats, but it was mostly a quiet visitor. He would spot eyes staring at him from the gaps around him, and though it unnerved him at first, he had gotten used to it. Some crows pecked at his room’s window to squawk for food. Kamekichi also pecked at his secret snack stash since he had heard from his crow friends. Tsumugi had reassured him that youkai wouldn't harm Mankai as long as he and Sakuya were around.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't change the conversation," Banri added as an afterthought. <em> Cheeky brat. But he does have a point, I guess. </em></p><p> </p><p>Itaru pushed back those thoughts for now. Sure, he might like him, but the little box in his mind has opened again. Stored in that box were the self-doubt and thoughts that he'll never be enough. Those thoughts dominated a half of his senior year in high school. While he managed to bottle it, it would sometimes resurface on the bad days or when his thoughts would run wild. Mankai has helped ease some of those doubts, but it didn't mean it was completely gone.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, he wasn't going to tell that to Banri and just gave a listless shrug, "I'm not. ...It's an adult thing."</p><p> </p><p>It was Banri's turn to be awkward. Whether Itaru showed any signs of discomfort or something, the atmosphere of the room became heavier. "Hey man, if you need some help, don't be scared to give a call."</p><p> </p><p>"...yeah." Bratty as Banri maybe, he was perceptive. Itaru appreciated that.</p><p> </p><p>Banri glanced around the room before he noticed the golden sword propped up the loft. "Is that a sword? You into cosplay now?"</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, that? Tsumugi gave it to me."</p><p> </p><p>Banri only smirked, not needing any words to prove his point. Itaru gave him a playful shove with a deadpan stare as Banri cracked into laughter. They played a few more rounds before Banri remembered that he had school tomorrow. He grumbled about getting up early, but the older definitely saw that he didn't mind it if Sakuya walked with him and Masumi. Itaru called him out on his own crush, Banri blushing like the kid that he was.</p><p> </p><p>Itaru played for a few more hours, before going to bed. He shifted in his bed, unable to sleep. None of the mobages came up with refill alerts and his phone was devoid of any notifications. He turned off his phone and threw a hand over his eyes. </p><p> </p><p>Itaru appreciated Banri’s support. But the real question was if <em> he </em> was going to be enough for Tsumugi. He wasn’t a cool MC with maxed out stats, OP powers, or a cool inventory, he was just Itaru Chigasaki. Elite salaryman, charming actor, the streamer <em> taruchi, </em> and most of all, a normal human. What made Tsumugi stay by him? Itaru <em> did </em> like him in that way, but would he be enough? He couldn’t even keep him company since he was going to die one day.</p><p> </p><p>Itaru scowls to himself. He hated drowning in his thoughts like this.</p><p> </p><p>Begrudgingly, he made his way down the loft to get some air. The early spring air was still warm, but the wind had cooled down the temperature. The sky was clear, the moon casting a mystical glow in the courtyard. He takes in a deep breath, noting that the air smelled sweet with the violets and tulips Tsumugi recently planted. He stepped out to the grass, enjoying the rare calmness in the dorms.</p><p> </p><p>Itaru heard a flutter of wings and looked up. Tsumugi landed in front of him with a soft crunch on the grass. He smiled at Itaru, “Itaru, I didn’t expect to see you still up.”</p><p> </p><p>Tsumugi’s wings weren’t that large, but they were just proportional to his body. The black feathers seemed to gleam under the moonlight as they retracted to a smaller form. He was in a dark blue yamabushi, complete with the tokin, pompom sash, geta. Itaru waved, "I was just getting some air."</p><p> </p><p>"Can't sleep?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah. What about you?"</p><p> </p><p>“The local land god called for a quick meeting of all the youkai available.”</p><p> </p><p>“Cool. A stray youkai in the area?”</p><p> </p><p>“It was just to check up on us, nothing major.”</p><p> </p><p>“Aw.” </p><p> </p><p>“Don’t look so disappointed,” Tsumugi chuckled. “Youkai like you, you know.”</p><p> </p><p>“I think you meant my snack stash.”</p><p> </p><p>The squawk of a crow answered. The crow was perched on the courtyard’s bench. Itaru glared at the crow, recognizing it, “You finished my chips yesterday.” </p><p> </p><p>It gave one more squawk before flying away. Itaru frowned before sighing. Tsumugi smiled, “It seems to like you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah right.”</p><p> </p><p>"Do you want to watch the moon with me? Looking at the moon helps me sleep," Tsumugi offers. Itaru smiled, “Sure.”</p><p> </p><p>“Misumi showed me a great view on the roof.” At Itaru’s skeptical look, Tsumugi offered a hand to him. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you,” Itaru took the hand offered to him. Tsumugi gave him a reassuring smile as he bought out his fan. He swiped it and a small whirlwind formed underneath Itaru, lifting him above ground. His wings extended and flapped and they were in the air in a second. Tsumugi made the wind more powerful as he lifted Itaru onto the roof. The blonde had a grin on his face from feeling weightless. He wasn’t actually flying, but he enjoyed feeling like an isekai character with flying powers. His heart beat rapidly from flight and excitement.</p><p> </p><p>Tsumugi gently led him to the spot on the roof. He sat down next to Itaru, letting go of his hand. Itaru fixed his hair that was ruffled from the air, then he looked around. One of his wings extended to wrap around Itaru, who stared at them in wonder. He stroked some of the feathers, marvelling at how they well-maintained they were. It wasn’t as grand as the ones they used for <em> Sympathy for the Angel </em>, but the fact that Tsumugi actually flew with them won Itaru over.</p><p> </p><p>“It's really pretty up here. It reminds me of that time on the ferris wheel,” Tsumugi said, smiling at the view. The skyline from up the roof wasn’t that high like the ferris wheel, but the glittering lights really bought out the dark cityscape of the neighborhood. Some of the lights in the houses were still turned on, along with some of the streetlights. The moon shone above them brightly, casting a rainbow halo around it. A few clouds lazed in the distance. There were faint sounds of cars and stray animals, but it was a quiet summer night (or morning, he wasn’t sure). </p><p> </p><p>In hindsight, maybe the ferris wheel was better. Itaru didn’t have any sick parkour skills or wings to keep him stable on the roof. The slope was quite steep, and one could fall off if they weren’t careful. The shingles of the roof could also injure them if they weren't careful.</p><p> </p><p>Itaru placed a hand on the roof to adjust his sitting position into something more comfortable. He hissed when one of the blisters on his hands grazed the edge of the roof's shingles, “Shit.”</p><p> </p><p>He raised his hand and his face crinkled at the opened blister and the raw skin underneath. Tsumugi turned to look at him and his eyes widened at seeing his hand, “Oh no.”</p><p> </p><p>He gently takes Itaru’s hand in his own, observing his hand with a frown. “You’re pushing yourself too much.”</p><p> </p><p>Itaru clenched his fist in an attempt to hide it, but he couldn’t hide a wince when the raw skin brushed with his fingers. Tsumugi sighed as he rubbed circles on the back of his hand, “I’m calling off practice tomorrow. Taking care of yourself is also part of the training process.”</p><p> </p><p>“You sound like a teacher,” Itaru snorted, with a hint of fondness in his voice. Tsumugi chuckled, “But I am teaching you sword fighting.”</p><p> </p><p>Itaru laughed softly, “I don’t mind a bit of pain, you know. Sword fighting’s pretty cool.”</p><p> </p><p>“But resting is also part of the process,” Tsumugi chided. He kept rubbing circles on the back of his hands when a wistful and distant look crossed his face, “You should take care of this. Small wounds like this can be dangerous.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll wash it before I…” the rest of Itaru’s reply died when Tsumugi lifted his hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to it. His lips were slightly chapped, but they were warm. It was like a scene in one of Muku’s manga. Combined with the rising heat to his face and fluffy feathers around him, his mind short-circuited. The sounds around them seemed to get louder as Itaru sat there stunned. He felt his chest skyrocket with heartbeats as his gut clenched. <em> Did I trigger an event flag? </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Kiss was effective! Itaru is stunned! </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Even with the low light and no matter how much Tsumugi tried to keep his face straight, he also ended up with a strong tint of red across his cheekbones and ears. He raised his fan to hide his burning face, even if it was futile. His eyes darted to something else other than Itaru, but he didn’t let go of his hand.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Kiss was super effective! Tsumugi stuns himself! </em>
</p><p> </p><p>A bunch of nearby crows seemed to mock both them with their squawks, startling Itaru back to reality. He swallowed the lump in his throat and he fixated on the subsiding pain in his palm. It grounded him a bit as he squeezed Tsumugi’s hand. He couldn’t hide a flinch before Itaru squeezed his hand again with a whisper, “Look at me?”</p><p> </p><p>Itaru waited patiently as Tsumugi eventually looked at him, face still burning red. He couldn’t see the rest of his expression as the fan covered his face, but from his raised eyebrows, Itaru could guess he was embarrassed as much as he was flustered (possibly even more). He smiled reassuringly, “It’s okay. I don’t mind it.”</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t know how to say this at first, but I like you, Tsumugi. <em> A lot </em>. You’re really cool, not only as an OP character, but as an actor and person too. You’re amazing.” Not only was his mental filter turned off, his charming businessman persona seemed to be off the clock too. He didn’t have any of Homare’s poetic skills nor Kazunari’s smooth talking to wax over his nervousness now.</p><p> </p><p>Tsumugi was silent, but his eyebrows furrowed before he put the fan down, revealing a small smile. "I like you too. I admire how you dedicate yourself to your work, acting, and gaming… especially how you manage all three of them at the same time. It made me happy to encounter another human who wasn’t scared of a youkai. You’re even so eager to learn about us. It’s… refreshing in a way. It feels like I’ve found a home with you. I don’t have to hide my youkai form or my love of acting.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>&gt; “I love you.”</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> &gt; ”You’re home.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> &gt;  Hug him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> &gt;  Kiss him. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Itaru wanted to glare his brain for the lack of a filter. Tsumugi’s eyes widened for a second, before he mustered up a grin, “I love you too!”</p><p> </p><p>Itaru felt his heart about to burst out of his chest as he felt so warm and happy all over. It was only in his dreams and fantasies where he would get fawned over like people do over his best girls and best boys on Twitter. To hear those words from someone who meant a lot to him (and felt the same way, nonetheless!)… well, there was always a time for firsts.</p><p> </p><p>He wasn’t sure who initiated it, but to Itaru, the lingering taste of sweet sake on Tsumugi’s lips was pleasant. It wasn’t his first kiss, but it felt like his first anyway from how clumsy it was. Not only was it clumsy, but it was more earnest and honest… like they were, now that they found themselves in a place where they belonged. Both of them still had flushed cheeks, but with bright smiles on their lips when they pulled away.</p><p> </p><p>"Are we… you know?" Tsumugi asked after a while, uncertainly. Neither of them could pretend that anything didn't change after this. Even if they did, the crows and youkai would make sure to remind them anyway. Itaru nodded, a smile on his lips, “Yeah.”</p><p> </p><p>Itaru felt warm and happy as snuggled into Tsumugi's side. Was this what it felt to be picked in an otome game? Having your feelings reciprocated and having a place to belong? The last time he felt his content was with Tonooka, but that didn’t last long as he seemed to prefer his reputation than Itaru. While he loved the feeling of being picked, he loved Tsumugi and Mankai even more. He had found something that made him feel at home, and he wasn’t going to let it go now.</p><p> </p><p>Itaru was unable to keep his eyes open, his adrenaline rapidly crashing. He faintly registers Tsumugi lightly shaking him, but exhaustion and the adrenaline crash took its toll on him.  He barely managed a yawn before conking out, still sitting on the roof's shingles. He doesn't remember getting into bed, though he does remember the light touches of someone tucking him in and a light kiss on his forehead. A box of bandaids with cute cartoon dogs was on his coffee table when he woke up to his alarm at 6AM. The box had a small sticky note on it, a doodle of a dog beside Tsumugi’s signature. <em> “Take care of yourself! Have a good day!” </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Tsumugi’s 10 Heart Event finished! </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Congratulations! You are on Tsumugi's route now! </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Tsumugi Tsukioka (boyfriend): 2000/2500 Affection </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Act 5: “Awakening Moon” opened! </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Proceed to “Awakening Moon”? </em>
</p><p><b><em>&gt;Yes</em></b>                   <em>&gt;No</em></p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p></div></div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>got the plot from a generator: Person A is a modern god/supernatural being who open up a little shop and sell all kinds of artifacts. Person B is a customer who accidentally buys a cursed object. </p><p>that was supposed to be the end of it, but i enjoyed writing them and this became a 5k word monstrosity. they live in my mind rent-free and as bfs. this was supposed to be finished earlier but the new pacman cards got released and i just,,,,, brainrot,,,,  FERRIS WHEEL DATE ARCADE DATE FERRIS WHEEL DATE ARCADE DATE FERRIS WHEEL DATE ARCADE DATE FERRIS WHEEL DATE ARCADE DATE</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>this actually has an accompanying story but with banri and sakuya!! i referenced it a lot in this but i haven't actually finished it, but i hope to finish it!</p><p>betaed by my friend kris<br/><a href="https://twitter.com/spring_tine">twt</a> if you wanna read me yell about ittm</p></blockquote></div></div>
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